Whether you’ve just gotten out of a year-long relationship with your now ex-boyfriend or are suffering the aftermath of a marriage that couldn’t sustain itself, one thing’s for sure—you’re heartbroken. You’re never usually this vulnerable, and the one time you finally took a risk, you got hurt. Does this sound familiar? You’re not alone. And though it may seem like your life is falling apart around you alongside your broken heart, it isn’t, but there are other ways it may start to change.
Your loved ones may grow distant
Sadly, it’s tough for your family and friends to understand exactly what you’re going through if they’re not experiencing it firsthand (even if they have dealt with heartbreak in the past). The feelings and love that you shared with your partner were special and kept between the two of you. It’s normal for you to be feeling the way you are. But be aware that those feelings may, in turn, deter other people from spending time with you. Although they care about you and want to be there, it’s hard to be around someone who is depressed. They can only do so much to help you in this time of need; your brave strength and positive attitude will ultimately allow you to move forward.
Your drive and motivation may plummet
If you invested a lot of time and care in your partner, he may have played a significant role in giving your life meaning. Now that he’s out of your picture, the things you do may begin to feel pointless or not worth the extra effort. You may feel less inclined to save the same amount of money you’ve been saving each week since there will no longer be an immediate house to buy or a wedding to plan. You know he gave your life structure, so now you feel less motivated to do pretty much anything. Can you relate?
Your body may change
You may either gain weight (because you’re eating your feelings down) or lose it (from lacking the desire to eat properly). Your happy hormones are now replaced by stress hormones (cortisol and epinephrine) and skin irritations. You may experience a decrease in libido among other things. When your heart breaks, the rest of your body suffers as well.
Your emotions will be at an all time high
People may realize that your sensitivity to things is now piqued. Things that stirred your feelings previously now cause you to react two-fold. You might be angry where you were once just annoyed, you cry at the sound of couples laughing together and you’re indifferent about things that used to excite you. But you’re not a loose cannon, you’re heartbroken.
Your career may suffer
Life seemed great not so long ago. You had a loving partner, a steady and fulfilling job, a beautiful home … what could go wrong? Now that one of those things is gone, it’s tough to put forth your best into your work again. You seem to be making mistakes repeatedly, delivering assignments past deadlines or just going through the motions. It’s tough to focus or be enthusiastic about your job when all you can think about is what could have been.
